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(No Model.)

S. BERGMANN.

RHEOSTAT.

No. 395,116. Patented Dec. 25, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

SIGMUND BERGMANN, 0F NEXV YORK, X. Y.

RH EOSTAT.

'EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 395,116, dated Dozelnbar 25, 1888.

Application filed August 2 3 l 8 8 8.

To all about it may concern:

Be it known that I, Sionuxn BERG1[ANN,Of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Regulators for Electric-Light Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe a regulator embodying my improvement in detail, and then point out the novel features in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a side elevation, partly in section, of a regulator embodying my improvement together with a diagranunatic View of certain resistan ce-coils and their connections.

Difficulty has been experienced heretofore in operating by hand regulators for maintaining a constant potential in the lamp-circuit, particularly where the same are adapted for throwing both multiple-are and series resistances into and out of circuit carrying heavy currents. This dit'ticulty has arisen chiefly from the ditticulty of obtaining a good electrical contact between the different moving parts of a mechanical switch, from the cumbersomeness of the regulators, and the power necessary to operate them. In my regulator these ditliculties are practically overcome.

The main circuit may be of any desired kind and derive its current from a dynamo, as usual.

I have shown a compound regulator-that is to say, one by which both multiple-arc and series resistances may be thrown into and out of circuit. One portion of the regulator, or A, is used for the 111 ultiple-arc resistances, and the other, A, for the series resistance. Each of the portions A A is composed of a series of metallic rings, a-say of iron-forming terminals. These rin are placed one upon the other, and layers, a, of insulating materialas, for instance, asbestus-are interposed between them. \Yhen therings occupy such position, a passage-way, (cflwhich may advantageously be circular, extends vertically and centrally through them. The lower of the rings is provided with a cup-shaped depressed portion, (1 the cavity or recess in which is substantially coincident with the passage a through the rings a. By means of the passage of and the depressed portion a a receptacle is formed within the terminals. The

Serial No. 283,557. (No model.)

lower of the rings (1 comprised in the portion A of the regulator is provided with a portion, o extending beyond and to the side of the portion A. To this projecting portion u is secured a wire, c, leading from the dynamo and constituting an electrmlc.

Bolts (1 properly insulated, extend t hrough apertures in the rings a and secure the latter tirmly together and to a base, o, of insulat ing material, upon which the regulator is mounted. The upper ot' the rings A in both the portions A and A are provided with lugs or pmjections o constituting an electrode, to which is secured one branch, a, of a line-wire.

B designates pistons or plungcrs arranged within the passage 0*, and adapted to be raised and lowered therein. In the example of my improvement shown the plungers or pistons are raised and lowered by means ot' nuts Z) engaging the screw-threaded portions of shanks 1), extending upwardly from the plungcrs. The nuts are provided with hamlwhcels D to facilitate their rotation. They are mounted in brackets if, secured to plates of insulating material, I)", upon thetops ot' the portions A A of the regulator. The nuts have such a connection with the brackets that they may rotate t'recly thereon.

I have shown the plungcrs ll as longitudinally corrugated lior a distance near their lower ends. I place a liquid conductor-sncln for instance, as mercuryin the passages u. \Vhen the plungers are lowered, the mercury will be forced upwardly about them. \Yhen the plungcrs are raised, the mercury will doscend. Tubes l), of? glass, extending u nvardly of the sides of the portions A A, and communicating at their lower ends with the passages cf, may be used to indicate the height otf the mercury about the plungers.

Each of the rings 1/ is provided externally with a binding-post, t. From these bindingposts wires c extend to a number of resist ancecoils, f ff' f" f f' any desired number of which may be used.

Assuming that it is desired that no resistances be thrown into the circuit, both the plungers l are lowered sut'ticiently to cause the mercury or other liquid conductor to rise in such manner as to bring all the rings a into electrical circuit. The current will then electrically connected, out of circuit.

short-circuit 011 the portion A of the regulator, and will pass directly from the wire to the wire a. If the first step be now taken, the plunger B of the series portion, or A of the regulator, is permitted to remain in its lowermost position, and the plunger B of the n1ultiple-arc portion, or A of the regulator, is elevated until the mercury falls below the upper ot the rings a, thereby cutting the latter out of circuit. Current will then flow from the wire 6 through all of the remaining rings a, below the upper ring, along their several connecting-wires c to the resistance-coils f" f f f, &c., out through circuit-wires c, con neeting with the other ends ot the resistancecoils and with the terminals a of the portion A of the regulator, and thence to the linewire a. The second and each succeeding step in the operation of the multiple-arc resistances is like that just described. At each step the plunger is raised sut'liciently to lower the mercury below another of the rings (1, thereby cutting such ring, and consequently the resistance coil or coils with which it is \Vhen therefore the plunger has been elevated so far that only the lower ot' the rings (,1 and its coacting resistance coil or coils are in circuit, the greatest multiple-arc resistance will have been thrown into the circuit. It now it is desired to throw series resistances into the circuit, the plunger of the portion A is maintained elevated and the elevation of the plunger of the portion A is commenced. When the mercury or other liquid conductor has sunk below the npperof the rings in the portion A, the current can no longer pass directly to the line-wire a. It therefore returns along the wire 0 leading to the coil f, thence along the coil f and the wire c in connection therewith to the upper ot' the rings a of the portion A of the regulator, and thence to the line-wire (1.. It will be readily seen that as the plunger in the portion A is still farther elevated, so as to cause the mercury to fall below the rings a successively, additional series resistances will be thrown into circuit, because the current at each step is returned through a number of coils connected in series.

I wish it to be understood that by the term piston or plunger in reference to the part by which the mercury or other liquid conductor is caused to close or-open circuit at the terminals 1 mean any of the known equivalents for a piston or plunger.

1 further wish it understood that I do not limit the use of the moving fluid conductor by piston or plunger, as set forth. The piston or plunger may be stationary, and the liquid conductor caused to rise or t'all by the raising or lowering of a reservoir connected to the cistern by flexible pipe; or the height of the liquid conductor maybe varied by pressure or suction, by which the mercury or liquid conductor is caused to close or open the circuit at the terminals.

By my improvement I provide an easilyoperated and yet effective regulator, and withal one that is compact and not liable to derangement.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with an electric circuit, of a regulator comprising a number of resistances, a number of terminals in electrical connection with said resistances, and a liquid conductor within said terminals for bringing said resistances into and out of circuit, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with an electric circuit, of a regulator comprising a number of resistances, a number ot terminals in electrical connection with said resistances, a liquid conductor within said terminals for bringing said resistances into and out of circuit, and means, substantially such as described, for causing the liquid conductor to close or open circuit on said terminals, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with an electric circuit, of a regulator comprising a number of resistances, a number of terminals constituting a receptacle for a liquid conductor and electrically connected to the resistances, and means, substantially such as described, for raising and lowering the liquid conductor in the re ceptacle to bring the various terminals and resistances into or out of circuit, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with an electric circuit, of a regulator con'iprising a number of'resistances, a number of terminals constituting a receptacle for a liquid (.Ol'lClllCiOl and electrically connected with said resistances, and a piston for causing variations in the height of the liquid conductor to throw resistances into or out of circuit, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with an electric circuit, of a regulator comprising a number of resistances, two receptacles for a liquid conductor, each comprising a number of terminals in electric com nn'inication with said resistances, one of said sets of terminals being connected to said resistance-coils in multiple arc and the other set in series, and means for varying the height of the liquid conductors in the receptacles to bring the resistances successively into or out of circuit, substantially as specified.

U. The combination,with two electrodes, of two receptacles for liquid conductors, each eomprisin g a number of terminals, resistances in circuit with said terminals, and pistons for varying the height of the liquid conductors in the receptacles, one of said electrodes being connected to direct current to one of said sets of terminals only, and the other electrode being connected to receive current from both said sets of terminals, substantially as specified.

SIGM'UND BERGMANN.

\l'itnessesz' A. B. HERRICK, J NO. F. GEIDEL. 

